SHANGLA: A man, aided by his brother, killed his five months pregnant wife here for 'honour', accusing her of infidelity, local police said on Saturday.

Minat Sajida, a resident of Dandai area of Besham tehsil of Shangla district, was shot dead after her husband accused her of having extra-marital relations, the deceased woman's brother told local police.

Afzal Khan, Station House Officer (SHO) of Dandai police station, said the victim's brother claimed his sister had been married to Bajreen for 14 years and they had four children. But Bajreen believed he was not the father of the child she was expecting, he added.

The police officer confirmed that the woman was five months pregnant and was killed using a pistol. Both Bajreen and his brother are missing since the murder.

"In the last eight months, three honour killing incidents occurred within the precincts of Dandai police station and most of the culprits were arrested and sent to prison," the police official told Dawn.com.

The killing comes a week after popular social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch was killed in Multan for 'honour', sending shock waves across the country, prompting widespread criticism of so-called honour killings.

Women rights activist and politicians called for renewed efforts to curb the menace that has plagued the country for decades.

Related: PML-N to pass law against honour killings following Qandeel's murder, says Maryam

Two days ago, a committee comprising lawmakers from both the lower and upper houses of the parliament unanimously approved two bills aimed at tackling honour killings and boosting rape convictions.

Under the new law, relatives of the victim would only be able to pardon the killer of capital punishment, but they would still face a mandatory life sentence of twelve-and-a-half years, a minister told AFP.

Opinion

Editorial

Wheat price crash
Updated 20 May, 2024

Wheat price crash

What the government has done to Punjab’s smallholder wheat growers by staying out of the market amid crashing prices is deplorable.
Afghan corruption
20 May, 2024

Afghan corruption

AMONGST the reasons that the Afghan Taliban marched into Kabul in August 2021 without any resistance to speak of ...
Volleyball triumph
20 May, 2024

Volleyball triumph

IN the last week, while Pakistan’s cricket team savoured a come-from-behind T20 series victory against Ireland,...
Border clashes
19 May, 2024

Border clashes

THE Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier has witnessed another series of flare-ups, this time in the Kurram tribal district...
Penalising the dutiful
19 May, 2024

Penalising the dutiful

DOES the government feel no remorse in burdening honest citizens with the cost of its own ineptitude? With the ...
Students in Kyrgyzstan
Updated 19 May, 2024

Students in Kyrgyzstan

The govt ought to take a direct approach comprising convincing communication with the students and Kyrgyz authorities.